Hillcats Rock Wilmington Like a Wagon Wheel

LYNCHBURG, VA -- The Lynchburg Hillcats bats exploded for 16 hits on Thursday night, which included a five-run seventh inning to spark a 9-6 win over the Wilmington Blue Rocks at City Stadium. The win evens the series and gets Lynchburg back in the lead for the wild card playoff spot. Trent Moses hit a bases-loaded double in that seventh inning to put the Hillcats up for good. Five Hillcats had multi-hit games in the contest. Daniel Castro and David Rohm each had three-hit games.

With two outs and a runner at third, the Hillcats (22-27, 58-60) seventh inning looked rather innocuous to start. But the next five hitters all reached. Kyle Kubitza singled home Matt Lipka, David Rohm hit his second double of the game before Josh Elander walked to load the bases. With The Blue Rocks (23-29, 56-66) still leading by one, they went back to the bullpen for Kellen Moen against Elmer Reyes.

Reyes hit a line drive that glanced off the glove of Moen and deflected away, allowing everyone to advance a base on the RBI-single. With the bases still loaded, Moses hit a double off the right field wall to give the Hillcats their first lead since the first inning, 8-6 after seven innings.

The Hillcats got on the board first with a two-spot in the opening frame. Daniel Castro lined a one-out single to left field then with two outs Rohm tucked a soft ground ball inside the third base bag for a double to put two runners in scoring position. Elander took advantage, roping a double into the left-center gap.

Wilmington tied the game right away. Parker Morin grounded out to plate Dennis Raben and Ethan Chapman singled home a run to tie the game after two innings. Both runs were unearned off starter Jarett Miller thanks to an error in the inning.

The first three batters of the third inning all reached and eventually scored for the Blue Rocks to put them up in the third. That lead held until the seventh.

Anthony Nunez hit his first professional home run in the fifth inning; a solo shot to lead off the frame and at the time get the Hllcats within two. The Blue Rocks got that run back in the top of the seventh off Ryan Weber (6-4) who got the win in his first appearance since returning from the disabled list.

Cory Hall (0-2) took the loss when all three of the runners he was responsible for scored on the Moses double. Hall went 1.2 innings allowing four runs on four hits. Hillcats starter Jarett Miller got a no decision in six innings of work allowing five runs, three earned, on seven hits with two walks and three strikeouts.

John Cornely struck out the side in order in the ninth to get his sixth save of the season.

The Hillcats look to take the rubber match in the final game between Lynchburg and Wilmington of the season Friday at 6:05pm at City Stadium. There are fireworks after the game presented by Apple Ford of Lynchburg. Gates open at 5pm and Williams Perez (5-1, 1.89) takes the ball for Lynchburg against Leonel Santiago (3-2, 3.74) for the Blue Rocks. Erik Wilson and Jake Levy have the broadcast starting at 6:40pm on 97.9 FM The Planet and lynchburg-hillcats.com.